17-year-old admits to shooting, killing man in car in NE. Minneapolis

One of two teenagers charged in the shooting death of a man targeted for robbery as he sat in his car in northeast Minneapolis has entered a guilty plea.

Jered Ohsman, 17, of Coon Rapids, entered his plea Monday in Hennepin County District Court to second-degree murder in connection with the June 11, 2019, killing of Steven Markey, 39, of Plymouth.

Ohsman's plea includes no agreement on what sentence he will receive when he goes before Judge Kathryn Quaintance in adult court on April 17, the County Attorney's Office said Tuesday.

A boy who was 15 at the time of the killing also was charged in connection with the crime. His case remains pending in juvenile court.

According to prosecutors:

About 4:50 p.m. that day, Markey was parked near the intersection of 14th Avenue and NE. Tyler Street. The teens decided to rob him and steal his car.

Both drew semi-automatic pistols and had bandannas over their faces as they approached the car. Ohsman told police that he ordered Markey out of the vehicle and shot him after seeing him reach for something. The 15-year-old told police that Ohsman fired first because Markey had laughed at them.

The bleeding Markey drove off on Central Avenue and struck a building barely a block away.

That night, an SUV was stolen from 28th Street in St. Louis Park.

At 2:25 a.m., New Hope police were called to a cellphone store where a burglary was in progress. Officers saw someone dressed in black run from the business and jump into the front passenger side of the stolen SUV.

The vehicle sped off, and police pursued. About a mile later, the SUV turned onto the ramp for northbound Hwy. 169, but the driver lost control and crashed through a chain-link fence. Both teens were arrested. Police recovered a gun from inside the SUV.

Charges remain pending against Ohsman in connection with the crimes committed after Markey was shot.

Markey worked as an office assistant in Minneapolis at the time of his death. Jerry Markey said his son grew up in Maple Grove, graduated from Osseo High School and earned a political science degree from the University of Minnesota.